The Good Life (2007)

That was an excellent one.

Brilliant and touching

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

This is at its heart a story we've seen in movies many, many times, either as a primary or secondary plot: Mid-20s underachiever feels alienated and lacks true purpose in life while caught in a small town. Jason (played my Mark Webber, a brilliant up-and-coming actor you will hear more and more about) suffers from a disease that makes him lose all his hair. He lives with his vulnerable mother, who keeps holding him back because she is unable to care for herself. He cannot connect with the rest of his awkward family. He works several low-paying jobs, including one at a theatre. The theatre's owner is mentally ill and so, Jason must also take care of him. Throughout the duration of the film, we see him interact with other individuals, most of which are quirky, most of which seem just as alienated about this "good life" in Nebraska, with unrealized ambitions, broken dreams and broken lives.This kind of synopsis might appeal to me if I hadn't seen it all before, several times. But where The Good Life redeems itself somewhat is in the execution. Stephen Berra has written organic, believable characters, starting with the protagonist Jason, who has to battle several issues including the legacy his father has left to him. There is a haunting theme throughout the movie that people around Jason have raised the white flag on a better life. Jason's father has done worse, abandoning all hope not only for himself but for his loved ones, inviting them to give up as well. The other key character here is Frances, a role perfectly suited for the charming and quirky Zooey Deschanel. When Frances meet Jason, she becomes a catalyst for his renewed interest in fighting for his life. A true good life. But unlike the prototypical feel-good Hollywood movie, Frances is not just a device to allow Jason to go on to a better life. She is human and flawed and her sudden interest for our underachiever is complex like all real life relationships are.And this is where I think this movie shines. The various people Jason meets and interacts with all seem to have their own problems. There is no wise sage around the corner waiting to selflessly give a hand. Selflessness might be the trait that most defines Jason. Underneath, he has all those aspirations, on the surface he neglects his true self while living a life he finds pointless. And so to me, the movie is mostly successful in making you reexamine the mutuality of relationships, the duties we impose upon ourselves and our true motives. Is being selfless always a good and noble act? If you enjoy indie dramas and the themes described above, you may enjoy The Good Life as I did.

Imagine the life of Jason, a sensitive man suffering from a strange illness, Alopecia, that made him lose his hair. When we meet him, he is working at his daytime job in a desolate gas station. At night, Jason works at the old movie theater that Gus has run for many years. Jason's life is at the center of this bleak story that will reward the viewer that takes a look at it without any expectation. The opening sequence shows Jason walking toward a crowded downtown area with a gun in his hand, something that gives us an indication of the desperation going on his mind.Life in Lincoln, Nebraska for Jason and his mother is not exactly what one would expect. They are hardly making a living; their electric bill has not been paid in quite a while, and the house has seen better days. Yet, for all the problems Jason has to face on a daily basis, he is not bitter at all.Hope arrives in the form of Frances, a kind soul that loves to watch the old movies shown at the Capitol. She bonds with Jason in many ways that might lead us to believe they will go beyond the friendship into something deeper. Yet, Frances has the opposite effect on Jason when he discovers she has been telling hims lies based on borrowed lives of larger than life stars, like Judy Garland, one of her favorites. Jason comes to an abrupt decision after he finds Gus dead in the projection room. The idea of losing his one true friend serves as a waking call for Jason to escape to a different kind of life and leave his miserable days behind. Meeting Robbie, the strange fellow that is attracted by the old films, makes Jason realize how cruel Frances has been to him, while at the same time, going to Robbie's apartment makes one think that perhaps he was looking for an affection, any kind of affection, being from Frances, or from this man."The Good Life" is one of the most misleading titles for an Indie in recent memory because it is not exactly a film that is uplifting, yet, it has some positive message in the way things turn out. Director Stephen Berra shows great promise with this movie that he also wrote. Mr. Berra's second movie shows a sensitivity that in someone else's hand could have turned in another direction. He is to be commended by the performances he got from his cast. Best of all is Mark Webber who makes a great appearance in the leading role. Mr. Webber has been involved in a lot of worthwhile movies and has a bright future that one hopes will take him far. Zooey Deschanel is perfect as Frances, the dippy girl that brings some happiness to Jason while not telling him the truth about herself. Harry Dean Stanton is seen as Gus, the older man whose life has changed after his wife died. Bill Paxton, Patrick Fugit, Chris Klein, Drea DeMatteo, Deborah Rush and Bruce McGill are part of the ensemble players.Patrice Lucien Cochet does justice to the seedy backgrounds where this dark movie takes place. Don Davis incidental music is also effective. The film is worth a look by discerning fans of this genre because the good work of Mr. Berra and his star, Mark Webber.

The arc of the plot is much like THE RIVER KING. Though entirely different as far as genre and intended audience, both movies do a very good job at introducing a multitude of characters and potential conflict and then shamelessly just ignore any attempt at resolution, be it good or bad, moral or immoral, clear or ambiguous, etc.Having said so much, TGL is the more highbrow of the movies. The acting, shots, script are excellent and for about an hour this viewer was very involved with the main character and engrossed in his conflicts (indeed, our protagonist is the focus point in every scene, except for the football coach TV blurbs that serve as the backdrop of the setting).There are multiple, well conceived and introduced plot conflicts: coming of age, love interest, parental, Oedipal, antagonist, death (even, though not-so-well, sexuality) just to name a few. Plot conflicts do not have to be resolved, life is not so neat. They can be compromised, contained, accepted, condoned, absorbed (name your own disposition!). But they must be treated in some form or manner. Mr. Berra has made a movie of interest and we can look forward to more. Next time, however, he should finish his film.

Hell yes it's the new Donnie Dark, but the only problem is, it's a million times better. Mark Webber is unbelievable. UN-BE-LEIVABLE. I've been a fan of his since snow day. This movie is one of those movies in ten years every teenager will cite as being one of their favorite films. I guarantee that. I guarantee it. Jason Prayer (mark Webber's character) will be as famous as Donnie Darko. I attended the salt lake city screening of the movie and the crowd stood up and cheered when it was over. Steve Berra will be up there with any and every serious filmmaker that ever put an eye up to the camera. If you were looking for a new classic in modern day cinema and found the good life, I'd say you hit the jackpot. JP